Pubdate: Mon, 14 Mar 2005
Source: Daily World, The (LA)
Copyright: South Louisiana Publishing 2005
Contact:  http://www.dailyworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1740
Author: Elbert Guillory
Note: Elbert Guillory is an Opelousas attorney and guest columnist to the 
Daily World.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

LET'S RECONSIDER MARIJUANA LAWS

During the last two decades there has been much discussion of the evils and 
the benefits of marijuana. Any analysis of marijuana should begin with a 
look at its impact on our legal and economic systems.

FBI records show that in 2002 there were about 700,000 marijuana-related 
arrests. The arrest figure in 1992 was 340,000. Clearly more and more of 
our police time and dollars, jail space and dollars, and court resources 
and dollars are being used to process marijuana violations.

When more marijuana violators are forced into the court system, more of 
them are forced into drug treatment as an alternative to jail. Indeed, 
admission rates for marijuana treatment more than doubled from 45 per 
100,000 people in 1992 to 118 per 100,000 people in 2002.

Without question, America is devoting increased amounts of police, jail, 
court, probation and treatment resources on marijuana violations. The 
financial impact of that investment is staggering.

An equally staggering impact is on the nation's economy. As more young 
marijuana users acquire police records, their futures become bleak. They 
can lose eligibility for federal assistance like school loans, mortgages 
and public housing. They can lose job opportunities because many employers 
do not want to hire persons who have histories of drug offenses. The 
productivity of many marijuana users is lost to the national economy; and 
that often forces them to turn to crime as a means of support for 
themselves and their families - a double loss to America.

So what about the productivity of marijuana users and the relative value of 
marijuana?

Marijuana has been in the news twice during the past few weeks. In one news 
story, President George W. Bush appears to have admitted that he has smoked 
marijuana. This president joins President Bill Clinton in admitting 
marijuana use. Note that Clinton said that he "did not inhale." His other 
most remembered quote is that he "did not have sex" with Monica Lewinski.

The two presidents, along with many members of Congress, the judiciary, 
business owners and CEO's, peace officers and others, grew up at a time 
when marijuana use in America was at its peak. Millions of then-young 
people smoked marijuana. Today they are part of America's rulers, and they 
are part of the horrible duplicity which governs America's marijuana 
policy. The bottom line is that marijuana use, in and of itself, does not 
prevent people from becoming productive, law-abiding citizens (nor even 
from becoming presidents).

The other news article is from some people in the medical community hailing 
marijuana's potential medicinal benefit in the treatment of Alzheimer's 
disease. It is already accepted as medicine in the treatment of cancer, 
glaucoma, pain management and various other ailments.

Some states and countries already have legalized the cultivation and 
possession of marijuana for medical purposes.

It is clear then that marijuana has some medical value in addition to 
whatever other value productive, otherwise law abiding users have discovered.

Yes, using marijuana has dangers, and yes, using any mood altering 
substance has dangers, and yes, marijuana poses particular dangers to 
young, developing minds. But given the potential medicinal value and given 
the clear indication that marijuana use alone does not guarantee that one 
will wind up homeless and living in a ditch - given all this - it is time 
to stop making criminals of those who are caught possessing or using small 
amounts of marijuana.

It is also time to begin serious study about the medicinal value of 
marijuana. Finally, it is past time for yesterday's users who now run the 
system to stop sending today's users to jail at great cost to the users, 
their families and the nation's treasury.
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MAP posted-by: Beth